Pacifista

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Interest Check)

The RP's very much still going and accepting new players always! There've been some really fun and creative characters that I feel would be tough to fit into another One Piece RP, making the game feel very unique to me (and this is coming from someone who's tried a number of different styles for a One Piece RP, this one being one of the more successful ones). I've also been really happy with the posts thus far, and watching the world begin to be fleshed out on individual scales (with larger ones in the works behind the scenes), is super fun to see. We've been trucking for a couple months now, but the game has plenty of room for more players!

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

RICO

---

The day after the Ko’Bo’Ka’Na Festival, an air of tension hung over the capital for those not in the know. Like a hangover, the villagers had over-imbibed, much of the work to be done in the morning put on hold for an intensive cleanup. The exhilaration of going against the king had faded, leaving the anxiety of the incoming punishment. Even those who did know of the royal family having actually took part in the festivities were left with doubts that everything would be alright after the king called for an assembly at the city square.

Voices murmuring in trepidation, the whole kingdom buzzed about in the square, their collective concerns forming a low hum of discussion, all of it silenced when King Lulouis took the platform, flanked by Princes Petre and Alliant, all of them as regal as ever. Though the men wore distinguished looks, they were well crafted masks, neither prince having any idea what the assembly was for.

Stepping forward, Lulouis raised his voice, words carrying over the crowd. “People of Puddle, I don’t intend to waste your time. After all your revelry, we must return to a harsh reality. Our island is not in the best of positions. We are falling behind the rest of the world, clinging on through luck: a rare resource that is oh so very finite. It’s a difficult hand for any leader, but frankly, I do not believe I have been making the right choices. Even before the death of my wife, a heart in the right place doesn’t make the world move. Not always.” The king was silent for a moment, his eyes glancing over a nearby hill, past which rested the city’s graveyard, where a fresh bouquet of flowers rested at the royal mausoleum. “As such, effective immediately, and henceforth, I am abdicating the throne.”

It started as a pitch, then rose to rumble, then thunder. The townsfolk, a large number of which only ever knew rule under King Lulouis, erupted into shock and awe. Some were anxious, some excited, but all tittering quieted down with a single hand being raised. “Prince Petre is much older than I when I was crowned, and I’ve known for a long time that he was more than suitable a leader. But I held on. For what reason, I’m not sure. Petre’s due has long since passed: I do believe it’s time I let go. I will be leaving the island for a time. Pinoko Island has all the facilities I need to recover my health. I’ve neglected it for far too long. I don’t know how much time I have left in this world, but I want to spend as much time as I can with my sons, and next year...I would like to enjoy the Ko’Bo’Ka’Na Festival. I would like to look forward to my birthday for the first time in a long time. Petre will not be alone, he has an upstanding younger brother with him, and I will offer everything I can upon my return, but for now-” Lulouis’ hand waved Petre over, the prince winding up his dropped jaw. Posture stiff, he approached his father, removing his circlet and kneeling down. “I crown you: King Petre. May your reign be long and resolute.”

Bequeathed his crown, King Petre stood, meeting the gradually rising cheers of the crowd head on. From behind him, he could feel Alliant’s smile upon his back. The three felt their hearts turning in unison, like gears unstuck, now able to move towards a future full of possibility.

Later, the crowd gradually dispersed after Petre announced his desire for a fresh start and intent to address the problems plaguing the island head on. The newly crowned monarch moved off to find his younger brother waiting on him. Petre closed his eyes and smiled. “Did you plan for this?”

Alliant was taken aback. “Hardly! I had nothing to do with much of anything. I’ve never been much of a prince.”

Petre clapped his hand on Alliant’s shoulder. “Nonsense! You have more trust with the people than I ever had. Not as much respect, perhaps…”

“Hey!”

Petre laughed. “But really, don’t act like you played no part in this.”

Alliant looked off towards the ocean, unable to deny it. “I didn’t do much, I just met a little firestarter.”

Petre flinched. Alliant gave a quizzical look. “You’re telling me...”

---

Lying down in the lakeside grass, rope pinning his arms to the sides, Rico had a blank look on his face. All about him, Petre’s men panted and gasped as they caught their breath, having beaten Rico’s Fruit power through sheer attrition. Even Petre was at his limit, much of his weight pressed on his horse. The game of tag, the keep away with the small rowboat. Neither side sought to harm each other, and that resulted in this wasteful disaster. After all that it only ended because of a sudden shower. His men being reduced to this was shameful. Shameful!

“Man...this sucks and blows at the same time!” Rico whined.

“Nuh-uh, nothing can suck and blow at the same time,” said one of the knights.

“Yeah huh!”

“Try it then.”

“HUFF HAW HUFF HAW HUFF HAW HUFF HAWGH UGH GRAHH UFFF,” Rico sputtered.

“Knock it off already!” Petre snarled. “Let’s get back to town, I’m done.”

“Sir!” called a messenger, coming up to the scene of exhausted men. “...Sir?”

“Out with it already,” Petre grumbled, pomp and decorum on vacation.

“Prince Alliant is calling for you. King Lulouis is allowing the festival! He also asked that the foreigner be exonerated.”

“Oh god!” Rico shouted, his breathing quickening in fear.

“It means you’re annulled of blame for supposed crimes,” Petre disparaged.

Rico thought for a moment, before saying, “Wait, it’s not the other thing? We’re all good then?”

“All good.”

Rico smiled, sparks sizzling as he slipped from his ropes and hopped ot his feet. The array of knights stared in disbelief. “So I can go have fun and eat food at the festival!?”

“...Yes.”

“YaaaaaaAAAAAAAAY!” Rico cheered, hands raised in the air. With whistles and screeches, a number of rockets fired off from his person, popping in the air and cracking on the ground. The dry grass was rather receptive to Rico’s mood, growing in blaze all the same. Opening his eyes to see the flames about him, Rico screeched. “AHHH AHHHH AHHHH AHH AIIIE AIIIE AHH AIIEE.” Foot stamping, he tried to quash the nearest fire to little avail. Once the knights returned from having ducked for cover, their shields dug into the dirt as helmets were cast into the water as makeshift pails, the organized troupe finding a last burst of energy to fight the fire. A last trial before the festivities could be enjoyed in full. And enjoy the festivities Rico did, trying just about everything he could, be it food, dance, or show. Filling his empty stomach on candied apples and chicken skewers, filling his ears with laughter at a comedy show, filling his heart with dance at the concerts, he was at the shooting range with a pop gun when an older fellow approached him.

“Having fun, boy?” the question was matched with Rico’s pop cap flying off a little to the side, bouncing of one prize and knocking into another. Both rattled to the gasps of onlookers, only to settle, gasps turning into groans. But Rico smiled.

“This is the most fun I ever had!”

A bit of moisture coming to eyes thought dried out this night, Lulouis smiled. “Is that so?” While Rico lined up his last shot, he began, “I have a bit of a request, if you are willing to indulge…” And so, that lone firework would fly.

---

The next morning, Rico yawned as he stood at the dockside, Princes behind him as though he might try to run off.

“I really can’t thank you enough,” Alliant insisted.

Rico stuck out his tongue, “Yes you can, I’m sick of it!”

Petre shook his head. “I just can’t understand why you’d bother.”

Rico paused for a moment, before admitting, “I dunno. I didn’t really think I’d help any, I just figured there being a festival would be better than there not being a festival. It rained a little, but it looked like that didn’t stop anything!”

Alliant nodded. “We need the rain. We may not like it when it happens, but it always passes eventually.” He exchanged a knowing glance with Petre, who couldn’t deny him.

“Says you, Puddle Prince, the rain is great! Usually. Hey, either of you guys wanna be pirates?”

Petre balked, “What?”

“I’m recruiting!” The two stared. Alliant broke out into a sweat, realizing that he in fact, did not mishear the young man the other day. At the silence enabled by the two men trying so very hard to unpack this strange lad, his shrugged, “Oh well, your loss!” Pointing a finger to the sky as he turned off to the gangplank of the merchant vessel, he laughed, “Fireworks are made to go ‘up’, and I’m headed to the top!”

“You better watch who you ask,” Petre warned.

Alliant chortled, “Rooting for you might be heresy of the deepest kind, but you are a strage sort, and no one normal would aim to be Pirate King.” Petre’s eyes shot opened at Alliant’s words, but Rico only laughed. “Come back next year, if you don’t die.”

The gangplank lifted, sails lowered, Rico gave a thumbs up. It wasn’t a promise, yet there was hope, one of many hopes that Alliant hadn’t felt a one of in what felt like a long time. As he went back to his day to day among the people, his heart wasn’t the only one set ablaze on this small Puddle.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

CATHERINE CORIANDER

---

“‘I’ve got it!’ said Fontaine. Taking the Super Floaty Wood logs they got before, they lashed them to the front of their boat and started their journey out of the bottom of the world, into the ocean that we now call, the ‘Devil-”

“Hey, waitaminute!” Sorrel blurted out. Corinader stopped dead, the finale of her reiteration of Knox’s adventure to Fishman Island now thoroughly ruined. Her pose was stilted as Sorrel slowed her roll, the girl standing straight in their corner of the library, all the other kids joining her on the day after their brief meeting with old man Burnet. “Bubbles float normally, but when you put them on a boat they sink in the water? That doesn’t make any sense.”

We were so close and you had to notice now!? Coriander’s mind balked while her true face wore a strained smile. “Yeah that’s kinda weird huh?” Coriander honestly didn’t have an answer, because frankly it made no sense to her either. Letting out a long sigh, she took a seat of her own. “Well, I was basically done anyway. What do you guys think? Wanna go to Fishman Island one day?”

Coriander was met with a few jeers. “No way!” “The whole island smells like fish I bet.” “It’s dark down there…”

Coriander gawked. “What are you guys talking about? There was the roots of the Sun Tree Eve so there was plenty of light, and we live by the ocean and it doesn’t smell like fish.”

Rue explained, “There’s a buncha fish walking around there though!”

The book didn’t describe any particularly odd scents, so Coriander worked with what she had. “They’re mammals!”

Rue didn’t seem to grasp it. “They’re called fishmen though.” Coriander surrendered to the 7 year old.

Cassia offered, arms wrapped around his knees, “Most people who try to go down there die, it’s scary, and it’s dark on the way there.”

Coriander sucked her lips in for a moment. “It’s not like we’re talking about actually going, it’s more of a ‘what if we could’. Do you wanna see it?” Cassia thought for a moment, before nodding. “I wanna go! They live so close to Marie Geoise, but Knox never mentioned if they have any kind of God, so maybe I could teach them about the Dragon Blood Faith! I have to become a fully fledged Sister first though.”

Sorrel moped, “I don’t wanna. That one guy got sick from touching one of the fishfolk, and some of them were poisonous! I can’t go to an island where I can’t even bump into someone on accident.” Coriander raised an eyebrow in thought. What he said didn’t seem wrong going by the book, but it did feel wrong, even if Knox’s band had been pretty adverse towards the fish folk, and vice versa.

Verbena poked Peppermint in the arm, the girl oddly quiet. “I don’t get sick from Peppermint and she’s even stronger than a Fishman!” Coriander’s look soured while Sorrel chortled. Peppermint’s expression didn’t even change, which made it all the more chilling when she grabbed Verbena’s finger and twisted it back. “Owowowowowow!” Verbena cried, the normally tough boy reduced to whining.

“Pepper!” Coriander burst out, on reflex. Pepper let go, eyes widening in shock as she realized what had happened.

Verbena sobbed. “I didn’t even say anything mean!”

Scrambling to her feet, Peppermint’s mouth hung open, her face distraught. Teeth coming together in a frustrated grimace she raised her foot, stamping down. The floorboard snapped under the force, both sides ripping from their nails and whipping up from the split center, the other kids letting out cries of shock as the force of Pepper’s stomp shook the floor. Even Coriander, the biggest among them, felt like she’d left the ground for a moment, heart rising and falling with her stomach. Eyes shutting, tears squeezing out, Peppermint ran off, yet again pushing out of the library and out of sight. Aside from Verbena’s sobs, everyone was silent.

Crouching down, Coriander held her hand open, Verbena complying, gently laying his hand in hers. There was some red irritation, and the initial stages of swelling already, but Coriander couldn’t tell if it was sprained or outright broken. “Hold it close to your body so you don’t hit it against anything, okay? Sorrel, you go with him to Mrs. Poppy.”

The purple hair boy nodded, putting a hand on Verbena’s back as he guided the chubby boy towards the exit. “Sorry grampa,” Sorrel said as they left, Coriander looking up to see the shiny bald head of old man Cicely. His eyes widened behind his spectacles as he saw the remains of the wooden plank in the ground.

“I-I’ll explain!” Coriander insisted. Putting her hands on Rue and Cassia’s backs, she asked, “You two go play for a while, okay?” Leaning in to Rue’s ear, she whispered, “And don’t bully Cassia.” Rue puckered her lips and looked aside, but Coriander felt she would actually listen, today if no other day.

Alone, Coriander and Cicely found chairs so Coriander could explain everything that was going on. “I know it’s just normal teasing, but what Verbena did this time wasn’t even that bad. I don’t really know what to do...”

Cicely thought for a moment, before opening his mouth and coughing. He hacked for a good few seconds, taking a few more to catch his breath. Seeing Coriande’rs concern, he waved his hand. “Don’t worry about me. We should figure out what to do about Peppermint. I do think you’re right: I think Verbena was trying to be considerate of Pepper in his own way, but it didn’t come across the way he intended.”

“He is always mean to her. Always,” Coriander noted.

“All children are problem children in one way or another. You should know that better than most. But Peppermint is special. The whole island was in a tizzy when a little kick from a newborn somehow broke Bay’s rib. And she only got stronger.”

Coriander pouted, “I was there you know.”

“Oh, you were!” Cicely laughed. Growing dour, he said, “But you were young, you know. When her parents were killed, at sea-” Coriander’s eyes opened wide, the fact just now sinking in. It had happened 6 years ago: Coriander was 10, Peppermint only 3. She could remember feeling sad at the idea of not seeing them again, but it still hadn’t felt real to her at the time. Mother Basil had helped her work through it, but Coriander had never considered Peppermint, aside from how the island handled her. “-we all did our best. In a way, we were lucky that she cut herself off, since she was less of a danger to herself and others, but it took a good while before she started to open up again. We all took rotations watching her, teaching her how to fend for herself. It took a village, truly. She turned out to be a wonderful girl after all that, didn’t she? A little miracle, she is.”

Coriander nodded. Just a year ago, Peppermint insisted she could take care of herself, her weekly parent rotation ending. Coriander hadn't been by her house in a while, but the more she thought about Peppermint cooking and cleaning on her own...when was the last time she got help? She also spent a lot of time playing with the kids. Coriander suddenly grew concerned: it wasn’t like she could live without her parents, even if she had enough of the same basic skills. “Oh no...” Coriander whined. Not too long ago, Coriander had connected with Cassia, seeing his loneliness, one all too familiar to her. But she’d been blind to Peppermint, taking her strength for granted, and not just her physical might, but her apparent mental fortitude, and even that was reaching it’s limit. Blinking back the tears she had no right to shed, Coriander wondered, “What should we do?”

Cicely smiled. “Well, we need to have the floorboard fixed. I don’t mind, no one does. Not a person here would bemoan having to rebuild even the whole village for that girl. But that’s just a short term fix. I know she wants to be a Marine, but sending her off to some Academy, or to be a Cabin Lass just feels like outsourcing the problem: getting rid of some troublesome element. That’s not what she is, she’s family. Plus, Burnet would veto that.”

Coriander’s brow furrowed as she remembered. “What’s his deal anyway?” she huffed.

Cicely smile turned sad. “He’s got his own demons. Doesn’t trust the Marines much at all, and I ever asked about it. Never understood it either, since he was a Marine himself before he retired-”

“EHHHHHHHH!?” Coriander stopped, having stood from her chair in shock. Sitting back down, she murmured, “Sorry.”

Cicely let out a short laugh, before finishing, “The kids are just being kids, but just like you mentioned, if they push Peppermint away that’s going to be their regret. I’d love for them to figure out what they’re doing wrong on their own, but if only everything were that easy. And as for Peppermint, we could talk with her, but I’ll bet she’s already convinced herself that she’s doing something bad. She’s too good of a girl. Too good to let herself make mistakes, even if there’s so much she can learn from them. You learned plenty growing up, didn’t you? Still are!” Cicely let out a laugh at Coriander’s expense.

“Thanks.”

“But at the same time, her mistakes can be even more devastating than most of ours. Honestly, I can’t think of an easy answer here,” Cicely admitted. “Maybe Basil could give some guidance? The Blood Faith has a lot of tools for discussing the lot in life we’re handed that is ‘birth’.” Coriander pondered on that, but the real answer she started to drift to wasn’t quite in the same part of the ballpark. In fact, it was right along the foul line, and which way it fell wasn’t for her to decide.

---

Even though sun shined and wind rattled the windows, inside of the house once belonging to Peppermint’s parents, the young girl sat in the kitchen, curled up against the counter. Various bits of trash and dirty clothes were littered about the whole house: it was hardly coated, but it was certainly messier than most people were comfortable with. Worse yet, though the house was certainly lived in, the wood had numerous gashes and gaps where a small limb had errantly punched through. Peppermint shivered, her house full of drafts on the windy day. The house was large, far too large. It was made for a family, and Peppermint had been alone here for a full year. So many of her parent’s old things were here, Peppermint having gone through them countless times. She wondered if she’d ever fit her mom’s dresses, wondering if a tomboy like her could ever look that pretty. She wondered what her father was like, having no real memory of him, the closest window into his life having been a few business correspondences she couldn’t even read, not knowing half of the words.

Her stomach growled, Peppermint struggling to stand. She needed food, but her powerful body felt weighed down, like a whole island sat on her back. Looking at the counter just under her eye level, she saw an old knife, embedded in the counter-top, the larger half of the cutting board she’d once split still in her possession. Reaching over, she grabbed it, twisting her hand as she tried to yank it out. It came free, but not without a flash of red. Looking down, her fingers had been slashed. With a clatter, the knife fell to the ground, and her heart started to race. She’d done something bad, she’d messed around with a knife, and she’d gotten hurt because of it. Fingers wrapping around her wound, a low whine of pain escaped her lips as she looked around, but there was no one there to help her, just the whistling winds.

”I wanna be a Marine!” A young Peppermint had shouted. Mother Basil had merely asked the kids what they wanted to do in the future, but Peppermint made a bold declaration, one that had the other kids laughing at her, but she didn’t think it was funny. Pirates took lives all the time, and Marines stopped them. If she was a Marine, that could mean there wouldn’t be other people who’d end up feeling like her because they lost their parents. But a Marine had to be good. And in this trashed house, Peppermint was bad. God kept punishing her for being born bad. The blue emblem of the Marines seemed all the more distant as she curled up on the floor, staining it with red drops of blood and clear tears.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Guess it’s been a pretty tough week, huh? Thankfully everyone’s been keeping in contact in some form but excluding me, basically everyone’s behind. If you guys (@Yankee@Hillan@pkken@Restalaan@LostDestiny@Daxam) can’t find the time to post, I understand, but at least be sure to pop a message in the discord every so often~ Or something like that) I really don’t want to have to kick anyone, but if the whole game is on a down tilt in activity I probably won’t even feel the need, I suppose. I personally will probably putting off some of my next posts: I don’t really like double posting as it is (I mostly did it this time because I really wanted to post the climax of Rico’s current arc) so no way I’m triple posting lol. If you guys do find the time to post, that’s great! I know I love to see them. Hope you guys have a good week!

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

RICO

---

Tossing, turning, groaning, once again King Lulouis was finding no sleep. His bed was far too large, the stone room much too cold. Yes, that was it. With a grunt, he threw his legs over the bed, wheezing as he pushed himself up and donned a pair of slippers. His feet plodded to the bathroom, where he took some water to wipe his face. Staring into the mirror, he glared at a face lacking any of the royal grace he once had. Wrinkles etched from a permanent glare, a dreary gray mane, a short, scratchy beard, an off white nightgown: he turned away, not appreciating the honesty of a mirror.

Shuffling towards the door, off to find a servant in this early evening, he stopped dead. He didn’t exactly possess the best hearing, but even so the faint noise from the city caught him. Steps wide, he stormed over to the window, eyes shooting open as he saw the city alight, not from a conflagration of destruction, but a blaze of lantern light, the wind carrying the sounds of revelry and merriment. There were no two ways about it: they had begun the Ko’Bo’Ka’Na Festival. His hands found grip on the stone brick of the windowsill even as they trembled in anger. “You dare… You dare!” Hobbling his way to the door, he started down the spiral stairs. “Defy me, will you!? Guards, guards!” Lulouis’ roars echoed into the palace, but even as he reached the common area, the throne room, and the entry hall, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. “Guards!? Servants? Petre? Alliant? Where...where are you?” His blustered started to fade, a timidity returning to his voice, lost in the echoes of the castle. “Where did you go? Why...why did everyone leave me?”

---

The calm of the long path was punctuated by the occasional cough or grumble. Lulouis’ slippers had become marred with dirt, the king not even changing in his mad dash for the town (as generous as that description might be). Slowly, the bustle of festivities became louder and louder. Like so many of the years before, the town was littered with pop up construction. Stalls for snacks and pleasure foods were rampant: cotton candy, sauce coated decadences of every sweet and savory variety you could fathom. Instruments abound swathed in song, crowds gathering, some to listen, others to dance. Comedians and jesters pulled in laughs, while puppets drew the awestruck eyes and gaping mouths of children. And all of it drove Lulouis mad.

---

2 years ago

Back arched, the royal mantle Lulouis so often wore proudly was faced away from the window that, even through closed glass, was a gateway to the faint sounds of the Ko’Bo’Ka’Na Festival below. But even though Lulouis wanted to find the cloth to stuff the window and render it all silent, to do that, he would have to release the hand of the woman in front of him. Silvery white hair splayed out on the pillow, bedsheets covering her thin body, one far too thin even for a woman as old as herself, Queen Lycien DuPont’s eyes were locked on that window even as her husband continued to hold her hand.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t do more for you,” Lulouis mumbled, his voice faint, fragile.

Lycien shook her head. “You’ve done more than enough for me. You took me to Marie Geoise for the Reverie just a month ago, you helped me raise our two wonderful sons, and you’ve given me more love than I’ve ever known what to do with.” Running her thumb over the back of Lulouis’ hand, she said, “And what about you? I’d be much happier knowing you were off enjoying the festival instead of moping around here.” There was a playfulness to her words, one that frustrated Lulouis to no end as she made light of her own death.

Slowly, Lulouis shook his head. “I...I can’t. How can I go enjoy myself when I’m about to lose the one thing that made me happiest?” Lycien didn’t deny him. Lulouis always figured she just didn’t have the energy. She gave him a small, sad smile before going quiet again. Within the hour, she fell asleep. And she never woke again. When her breathing stopped, the room becoming quiet, all Lulouis could hear was the sounds of that damn festival. He stayed there, as though trapped in time, until the festival too went quiet.

If he got his way, there would never be noise from that festival again. Let both of them rest in peace.

---

As Lulouis struggled through the streets, trying to make his way, the crowd parted for the doddering old man so clearly out of place. He wanted to cry and roar, but the bile in his throat kept his words stuck. Stumbling against a wall, he started to cough and hack, the fit lasting until he burped out a glob of stomach acid. Sweat beaded on his forehead, he tried to find the words, when the land of Banonono the greengrocer found his shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“Don’t touch me! Stay away!” Lulouis wailed, pulling away.

---

3 years ago

Lycien’s hand reared back, her expression clearly pained. It was a face Lulouis would never forget. But as he shook her off, he continued to move back towards his study. “The Tianyan Empire has taken a nearby island, we have to shore up defenses! And we only just now got word of another merchant company interested in the Drunken Iron Ore. The iron is hot! Just have fun at the festival without me!”

Eyebrows narrowing, Lycien was even less receptive to the idea than him knocking her hand away. Hiking up her dress, she turned her head away in a huff. “I’m not going without you!” as she reached the end of the hall, for a moment she turned back, Lulouis watching her, his expression a mote softer, but still resolute. Face tightening, she turned away. “There’d be no point,” she muttered as she left. Lulouis let out a long sigh, shaking his head. It was all for the good of this country, her first and foremost.

---

“Stop all of this at once!” Lulouis spat as he stumbled into the nearest intersection. A boy chasing after his dog Ropho suddenly veered out of the way as he tore through, collapsing onto the paved stone. The two stopped, going to him as he held himself on his hands and knees. The boy tried to help him to his feet, while Ropho licked at a scrape that appeared on his hand.

---

20 years ago

Alliant laughed as the dog licked at his face, the four year old prince more interested in the stray than the glorious festival. Dressed down into casual clothes, Lycien stooped to her son’s side, her hair a dirty blonde, joining Alliant in petting the good boy.

“See? The festival is plenty enjoyable without foreigners, even if Alliant’s more interested in the dog than the festival so far,” Lulouis chortled, the clean shaven man fiddling with his brown ponytail for a moment.

His bronze beard an uneven scraggle, Petre grumbled, “Size isn’t everything, but the villagers have been complaining about less business-”

“Pish posh. Business is second to pleasure with the festival.”

Lycien butt in. “Pleasure? All I hear is business!”

Lulouis opened his mouth, a tinge of guilt passing over his face, but Petre grumbled, “More business would mean less need to horde the ore!”

“If we let them in just for the festival we’re showing a lack of integrity!” Lulouis retorted.

“You spend 364 days worrying about the kingdom, but you can’t allow even one day of rest?” Lycien’s glare did finally draw them back, but the prince just exciting his teenage years didn’t stop, he just chose to be more careful.

---

Helped to his feet, Lulouis was steadfast on his path, even though he didn’t know where he was going. Less than half a dozen people followed him, each one knowing who he was within minutes, but in this moment he wasn’t a king so much as a fellow islander in need. Lulouis' mind rushed, and it must have been bumping into things because the stress left his head pounding. “Where...where are my boys?” he grumbled to himself, words easily missed by those behind him. Turning his head, he saw Macklamalky’s stand, brown, amber, and red orbs glistening in the light.

---

36 years ago

With a mighty crunch, the recently crowned King Lulouis bit down on a bright red candied apple, the sweetness and sourness melding together with the sticky candy and crunchy apple, the mixture absolutely irresistible. A second and third one in his hand, the last one rather small, he turned about, seeking his family in the passing crowd. He didn’t meet eyes with Lycien, as the young woman was scanning about. The bite grew warm in his mouth as he stopped chewing, sensing something wrong.

“Where’d Petre go?” she asked.

Nearly dropping the treats, Lulouis switched gears into panic mode before he’d even realized. Hopping into action, he pushed his way through the throng of people. Food falling out of his mouth, he called, “Petre? Petre!?” Reaching the other side, he kept his eyes peeled for anything out of place. He was just there a second ago, and that realization made his heart race. As the heir to the throne, Petre had been a ripe target to pluck. Rage filling his heart, he started to storm off, nearly tripping over a tree root as he went off in search of any guards. But he needn’t go that far. A wave of relief washed over him as he saw Petre off by the trees, fiddling with his pants. “PETRE!” he called, rushing forward.

Petre looked up like nothing was wrong. “I godda go to the bafroom,” said the three year old boy.

Letting out a gasp of exasperation, Lulouis insisted, “You should ask first!” Leaning the candied apple away, he felt his body lose strength as adrenaline faded. Looking back, he waved down Lycien before placing a hand on Petre’s back, guiding him properly as best he could.

Even has his heart had settled, his mind had not. He was king now. As he watched the festival, he saw it not as a patron of its festivities, but as a ruler. It was something to guide and protect, just as he did his son, his physical heart walking outside of his body. It was a simple incident, but it stuck with Lulouis more strongly than the candy to the apple. A part of him was left behind that day.

---

”I don’t know sir,” admitted Flake.

“I can’t lose them, I can’t,” Lulouis howled. “They’re all I have left.” Shoulders shuddering, he kept walking without direction, until a loud popping made him stop. Turning about, he saw Loleth sitting by a number of prizes aligned on shelves, simple pop guns going off, corks launching to snag those prizes.

---

43 years ago

Cheers erupted, clapping sounded, and Loleth handed Prince Lulouis a small stuffed horse, legs stiffened so it might stand. And right away, he handed it over to the young woman at his side. She cooed, “Eh? For me? Whatever did I do to deserve this gift?”

Lulouis blushed slightly, clearing his throat before he replied, “You were trying so hard to get it, that I thought it’d be a shame.” Those in the vicinity gave a few whistles, Lulouis’ red shade deepening.

Horse held up, slightly covering her smile, the young woman dropped it down before grabbing Lulouis by the hand and pulling him off. She looked back at his mystified face, observing, “I can’t just accept such a nice gift without offering anything in return. Come on!”

Moving right on down to the next road, she stopped by a puppet show, the two getting the gist of the story within moments, stooping down behind a small crowd of children as the young adults they were and sticking out the rest of the story to the end. Next they grabbed some skewers, Lulouis munching while she talked about her favorite parts of the festival. Somewhere in there, he’d gotten her name: Lycien. He’d offered his only as ‘Lou’, feeling a bit awkward about sharing any more. But their journey continued into the night, the two seeming to stop at every attraction on their path.

Reaching the local jeweler’s, Lycien entered the closed store casually, having produced a key easily. She returned with her hands clasped, gesturing for Lulouis to open his palm. Into his hand she dropped an iron ring, the shimmer akin to a boat in the sea. To imagine oneself standing on it, they’d be shifting back and forth, like a drunk man.

Lulouis gawked. “This is too nice of a gift! I can’t accept this!”

Lycien shook her head, smile not fading for a moment. “It’s nothing amazing. I’m proud of it, but it’s only my first ring ever, I’m still just an apprentice. It’s nothing we can sell, but it means a lot to me.”

“Then I really can’t accept it!” Lulouis held out his hand, but Lycien made no move to retrieve it.

“Then call it an early birthday present. Or a late one. When is your birthday?”

Lulouis cowed. “Er...today.” Lycien raised one eyebrow as her eyes started to widen. “I swear, I’m not making that up!” But as he’d said it, it became harder to let go of the ring. Looking into its glimmer, he admitted, “Honestly, I haven’t thought about it in years. I always have really good birthdays, so I don’t even really mind that no one acknowledges them.” Realizing something, he wondered, “Why did you want to give me something so nice anyway?”

Lycien shook her head. “I just thought you were having so much fun it was making me happy. But I changed my mind, that’s not a good birthday present.”

“No, it-” Lulouis began, before Lycien swooped in, pecking her lips on his cheek in a kiss.

“Happy birthday,” she said with a sly smile on her face. Lulouis thought his heart was going to stop. As he was stuck in place, she started to step away. “Now I have another reason to love the day of the festival.” And with that, she fled, possibly to hide a blush of her own. Lulouis didn’t remember how long he was stuck there processing what had happened. But time wouldn’t stay stopped forever. Like a fairy tale, he would explain his heritage on the same day he proposed to her, their marriage one that would last a lifetime. Until death...

---

Eyes spaced apart, they began to regain focus, coming to center on the hand set against the wood support holding aloft the roof of the stand. One the hand was a lone ring, it’s shimmering rocking back and forth like an inebriated man.

His mouth opened, a faint whimper coming, his eyes starting to shine with tears that soon began to spill. He missed her, so much that he sometimes couldn’t bear it. She was not only his wife, but his best friend. He loved the dreams where she was miraculously alive, acting as though nothing was wrong, but when he awoke to a cold, empty bed, far too large, he felt like he never wanted to wake up again. But this festival, the one she loved so much, on the day she loved so much, was a dream in itself. Fun and revelry in hopes for a good year to come, where stories were made and told.

Right now, in this moment, Lulouis was no king. Appearances cast away, he crumpled to his knees, leaning against a stall, his loud wails silencing the street. Clenching his hands against his face, his shoulders trembled as he wept. Yet he would not be the only source of water spilling this night. A cloud passed by far ahead, a brief shower passing by, much to the surprise of those on Gunwhale Island. It wasn’t a lot of rain: it only lasted for a minute or so, and even then it was spotty and uneven. But once it cleared up, so many of those drenched just picked their festivities back up with a laugh. The Ko’Bo’Ka’Na Festival was there to call the rains, after all.

A hand coming to his back, Alliant leaned down. “Father...dad. Let’s get you cleaned up. My house isn’t far. I’ll send for Petre and then we can have some fun. How does that sound?” Shifting his position, Lulouis buried his face in his son’s shoulder, fruitlessly trying to hide from his subjects what they already knew was coming: his wet grunt of compliance. In the wake of the rainfall and in anticipation of the king’s return, the festival had a second wind, those holding themselves back having no reason to now that the king had acquiesced. It was not the biggest festival the island had hosted, but it might have lasted the longest and sounded out the loudest. Closing out the festivities, there would be the first in a new tradition, as a lone firework would streak through the air, a lone firework that miraculously pushed past the rain, bursting brightly in the night sky.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

CATHERINE CORIANDER

---

Outskirts of Tune Town, Melody Island, East Blue

---

Habit fluttering against the rough wind, Coriander pushed her way through the gusty weather as she left the church. Bible clutched tightly in one arm, her other hand keeping her coif and veil pinned to her head, her struggle was upwind. Leaves brushing past her and shuffling against her face, she wondered from what divine mood these winds billowed. Were they angry? Mournful? Lonely? Desperate for change? She could only speak for herself, and she was rather annoyed, for the slight humidity they carried wasn’t enough to make up for the worrying lack of rain. And more importantly, she was going to be tired by the time she got home, which would make it all the more annoying to do the reading Mother Basil had assigned. She was way more interested in finishing the last chapter of Journey to the Bottom of the World, frankly.

From dirt path to main road, Coriander found that the more open areas were a bit less windy compared to the tree strewn path to the old church. And out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of pale green hair going off, and fast. “Pepper?” she muttered, wondering where she had been off to in such a hurry. And seeing that back, shrinking into the distance, she traced it backwards, seeing footsteps in the dirt made with force behind them, something abnormal for the considerate young girl. Sensing something wrong, she turned about, following the footsteps backwards. Passing through the treeline, as she went down a dirt path even more unused than the one to the church, her eyes widened and paced quickened as she realized where she’d come from.

“-then I’m not gonna hang out with you either!” Coriander heard Cassia as she approached. She was honestly shocked: he never raised his voice.

“Eehhhhhh? Cassia likes Peppermint!” Rue laughed, pointing.

“You guys are being mean!” Cassia shouted.

“She should be used to it now,” Sorrel muttered, pinky in his nose.

“We cycle through everyone, and she’s being an extra annoying-” Verbena said, stopping dead when he saw the teen girl appear behind Cassia, Coriander’s expression ruinous.

“You shouldn’t be mean at all! And keep it down,” she hissed, eyes glancing to the nearby house, one well out of the way. The kids were parked near some brush and a nice sized tree: an obvious lookout spot, but they’d thrown caution and stealth to the side in their argument.

Cassia turned about, speaking in a raised whisper, “They wanted to spy on Mr. Ryu and Peppermint didn’t want to since it was bad, so they said they were never gonna be friends with Peppermint again.”

“Snitch,” Rue pouted, sticking her tongue out.

Coriander put a hand on Cassia’s head, rubbing his hair before turning on the other three. “You guys are the ones who are gonna lose out if Peppermint stops being your friend you know.”

“Nuh-uh, she’s always getting us in trouble, goody two-shoes Marine wannabe,” Verbena muttered.

“And she’s scary! You were there yesterday!” Sorrel added.

“She’s not scary she’s cool! People in the Grand Line do that kinda stuff all the time!”

“Yeah, but she’s a little girl, not a cool adventurer, it’s weird!” Sorrel grumbled.

“She can do whatever she wants and she wants to be lame!” Rue sneered.

Coriander felt her face crinkle in her glare. “That why she’s good! Great even! I would have loved to be her friend at your age!”

“Huh, how is that good?” Verbena grunted.

Coriander puffed out her chest. “She’s great! She doesn’t even break stuff as much as you guys, or me, she doesn’t complain at all about living alone. Having the strength to do whatever you want and choosing to protect the people you care about is what makes a Marine! You guys-”

“WILL YOU PIPE DOWN ALREADY!” came a roar from the nearby house. The kids jump, scrambling behind Coriander as the door swung open, the teen girl clapping a hand over her mouth. Stepping out into the open, the door was swung shut by the wind behind him, as an old man with mid length dark gray hair from the back half of his otherwise bald head and a full goatee stared them down with blazing black eyes. A long tan overcoat coat trailing over a black shirt and jeans, Coriander had never seen Ryu Burnet [Village Hermit, Militia Captain] in a good mood.

“Coriander, right? You got a good reason for raising a ruckus outside of my front door?” Burnet asked coldly.

Bowing her head, Coriander explained, “I’m sorry! The kids were snooping and being little devils, so-” Coriander stopped, glancing down to see that Sorrel, Verbena, and Rue had slipped away, Cassia clutching her habit as he hid behind her. Turning about, she saw the trio skittering off. “Oh you little brats, you’re gonna get it!”

“They had the right idea. Get gone. I don’t want the religion you’re selling.” Coriander looked down at the bible in her hands, shifting it to behind her back with an awkward glance aside. “And don’t go filling that girl’s head with the cockamamie you were just spouting about the Marines. It’s not good for her.”

Coriander balked. “Huh? The Marines protect us! What do you know?”

Burnet glared, Coriander flinching back. Shaking his head, he muttered, “Never mind, let her do whatever she wants, just don’t come around here again unless you have a good reason. Tell that to the other kids too.” With a click of his tongue, he turned back, opening the door and slamming it shut behind him, leaving Coriander and Cassia to their lonesome.

Hand on her hip, Coriander muttered in derision at the crotchety old fart, “Well!”

A Windy Day of Melody:

The Hermit and the Ogre Girl

---

”What was that!?” came a muffled shout from the house. Without only a little panic, Coriander scrambled off, pulling Cassia along in her evacuation.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Boom, Saturday!

Thanks to @Restalaan, @Hillan, and @Yankee for keeping me up to date on their delays (and good luck with that work related stuff Restalaan, sounds like a giant drag). @pkken is a day or so late but hopefully that will change soon! I have a Coriander post due tomorrow and a Rico one on the 10th. @LostDestiny has an Annabelle post due on the 8th and a Maxwell post for the 12th. @Daxam is waiting a bit on Sol and should hopefully have the next Luna post up around the 9th.

No OOC topic, because I'm going to give Coriander's impressions/possible interactions with the other characters!

Coriander may be good with dealing with kids but in Rico's case I feel as though she might have her match met, his attitude would invite an immediate scolding and at the end of the day she wouldn't have the energy to deal with him.

Morgan however, is the closest thing the RP cast has to an actual ass adult, and I feel like he'd entertain her curiosity about the kingdom and outside world in general if they had a nice chat. Coriander would not vibe with Sunstrider though, she's not big on violence so there'd be some culture shock.

As for Annabelle, she's either a somewhat awkward lady with a cute pet raven, or an assassin, and as Coriander is just a normal teen girl she wouldn't have much reason to fear her more or less than anyone with a firearm. She's also not one to judge, so if Anna ever needed a confessional than Cori would be there.

Coriander would be FULL of questions for Suiten, having just learned about Fishman Island and all, and she would love the hell out of her inventions. They'd be a fun pair!

With Luna being a criminal now, Coriander would probably give her a bit of a berth, not that she'd do anything to incur her bestial side. But if they met without that context, Cori would probably like her toughness and boldness, plus Luna's not bad with kids.

Coriander has inherent respect for the Marines, and she'd be particularly curious about Haku being so young and respectful, which would be very refreshing. I can't help but wonder if the relaxed nature of Melody would be good for the rather uptight Haku, but who knows?

I feel like Valery and Coriander's mutual interest and curiosity in the world would help them click. They're both rather blank slates but that's a reason as to why it's hard to imagine exactly what their interactions would look like.

Outwardly, Sol appears to be Coriander's exact image of a Marine, and as mentioned she respects that! But I haven't seen enough of him in action to get an idea of how they'd be together beyond that.

Cori and Maxwell come from vastly different walks of life, and his rough background would earn a lot of sympathy. Without the context of him being a pirate, she'd appreciate his kindness, but since she's used to rats as pests she'd need some time to get used to his little friends.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

RICO

---

“I haven’t even seen King Lulouis but he’s got to be hopping mad about last night,” said Spentiff the clerk over his morning breakfast at the diner.

“Both the princes are in hot water, so no kidding. What the hell is that kid’s deal anyway?” wondered Banonono the greengrocer.

“He’s just being annoying for the hell of it, little brat,” grumbled old lady Loleth from another table, before she went back to sipping her morning milkshake.

“I think he just wants the festival to happen,” Flake the cook called from the kitchen across the counter.

Loleth almost spewed shake from her nose. Slamming her palm on the table, she sputtered, “I-it’s blackmail!”

“More importantly, why does this kid care more about the festival than we do!? Enough to go against King Lulouis. Anyone smart would have ducked their head down with the reward an all,” Spentiff grumbled.

Leaning back in his seat, Banonono mumbled, “He’s just doing what he wants, I guess.” Looking about, he wondered, “What do we want?”

“…”

BAM. The door clattered opened, Prince Alliant poking his head through, his normally prim hair unkept as though brought through the wind, his expression hectic rather than refined. Not finding what he was looking for, he left without so much as a word.

Storming through the city streets, Alliant acted as though a flash of red and neon green would fly out of the alleyways like a firework, creeping around corners like a cat.

Rico, what is wrong with you? I can’t figure your game at all! Alliant battled mentally. Rico had seemed like an honest sort after all, but now he was an...outlaw. Allaint flinched at the realization, thinking back to his conversation with the young man on the day they met, Alliant opening up about his concerns for the island. Rico was possessed by the powers of the devil, so...Alliant had made a deal with him? Alliant didn’t even offer him anything! And more importantly…

“This is...my fault?” the young prince moaned.

---

“I can’t sleep at night! How can you have failed, even knowing where he’d strike!” Lulouis wailed, fist pounding on the armrest of his throne.

“Father, there was no guarantee he would strike from the lake yet again, but this time there will be no mistake! Rico will be captured!” Petre promised.

“If so much as one firework goes off I’ll-” Lulouis began, before erupting into a coughing fit. As he hacked away, Petre waited in complete stillness until his father calmed down, breathing heavily. “I’m retiring to my quarters for a short while. Deal with this devil boy!”

Atop his trusted mount, Prince Petre and his men circled the lake, just as before. This time, the sun was still sinking, the rowboat Rico had used flipped upside down and kept right behind Petre. The King had been restless for two years, but Petre would still do all he could to give the man something close to a peaceful night.

Within an hour of the sun setting, there was a brusque cry from the edge of the clearing. “Aw dang, you guys aren’t gonna make this easy for me, huh?” Moving after the voice, Petre stopped as he saw a rather haggard looking Rico, the boy doubled over, leaves and twigs jammed into his hair and clothes.

“...Were you out here all night?”

“Y-yeah! And until that festival starts, I’ve got a fireworks show to put on!” Rico declared.

Petre studied the boy, shaking his head. “If you surrender, I’ll request amnesty.” His men balked at the claim, many of them already having their weapons out.

“I am hungry enough to wonder how amnesty tastes, but no thanks. I can’t do that.”

Petre growled, “You may be a simple fool and a devil of chaos, but there’s no reason that you’d come right at us like this it you truly meant harm! This lake is the only spot on the island you can shoot your fireworks without starting a wildfire, is it not?”

Rico crossed his arms over his chest. “Welp, got me there. Kinda hard to host a festival if the smoke is from a burning field and not tasty barbecue.” Pulling his leg back and raising a fist, Rico took a fighting stance, as two men charged forward with the blunt edges of their blades. Their blades whiffing through Rico’s body with a scattering of fizzling sparks, the young man smiled. “Too bad for you: once a firework has started, you can’t stop it.”

Despite himself, Petre gave a wide smile. “I thought you were a thoughtless oaf, but there’s something about you I can’t hate.”

“Sir, hold on!” called one of the knights, interrupting the mounting battle. Petre followed the pointed hand of one of his subordinates, aiming right back to the capitol city, the buildings alight with far too much noise and merriment. Realization dawned on all: “They’ve started the festival against the King’s demands!”

The knights chattered amongst one another, but they were quickly silenced. “LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Rico cheered, dropped down to his knees, his cry piercing the night. He flopped down to the ground, giving Petre’s knights a moment to discuss things among themselves.

Quieting his men, Rico sat up suddenly, a dour expression on his face. “Aw hell. I can’t take part if I’m an outlaw, huh?”

“You just realized that!?” gasped one of the knights.

With a smile, Rico hopped to his feet, staggering slightly in his fatigue. “Oh well, can’t go back now, not after such a cool line.”

Petre chortled. “I cannot fall back either. We’ve received orders to deal with you as we see fit, but there have been no such orders to quell the joy of the citizens. You’re quite crafty, to plan this far ahead.”

“No, I wasn’t kidding, I just wanna party,” Rico whined. “I’m so hungry I could eat your horse.” Pillbox the Bright’s long jaw dropped and his eyes shot open in fear, snot dripping from his nostril.

Petre didn’t balk, raising his hand in command. “FIND THE LIMIT OF THIS BOY’S DEVIL POWERS AND BRING HIM IN!”

“BRING IT OOOONNNNN!”

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

CATHERINE CORIANDER

---

Coriander had taken a seat on an old stone bench, the hewed stone smooth with age. Peppermint joined her while Rue, Verbena, and Sorrel stood by, all watching her in wait.

“So, how come you were allowed to come here while we aren’t?” Verbena shot.

Coriander shook her head. “I wasn’t allowed to come here either.”

Sorrel pouted. “That just makes it worse. Why are we even here anyway? We haven’t seen a sign of Cassia at all!”

“Well, I just figured I knew where he was, but I didn’t want you guys to know I’d been here, so I had to make it look natural.”

“You didn’t do a good job,” Rue murmured, tongue sticking out a bit.

“How do you know where he is?” Peppermint wondered.

Coriander was silent for a moment, kicking her feet as she tried to find the words. “I can’t be too mad at you guys, because it was my fault too. I’ve been trying to watch over your guys and with Cassia...I messed up.” Taking a deep breath, she began, “You guys are lucky, because you all have each other. But after me, the next oldest person in the whole town is Caraway, and he’s been spending a lot of time working hard learning how to build ships in the Conch Archipelago, so it’s not like he could babysit me. Even when you guys were born it’s not like we could really play or anything. When I was 5 or 6 like Cassia, it was only adults and babies. I spent a lot of time doing chores and stuff, or reading, but Mother Basil hadn’t showed up yet so I didn’t have church to occupy my time. So I wandered around the island a lot, even Tacet City. When I heard that he wasn’t anywhere back in town, I guessed he might have gone there because that’s where I would go. Then I found out we were all busy when he tried to find us, it became more than a guess.” Finally looking up, Coriander saw that the kids were still a bit confused, the connections Coriander made still not clicking with them. Standing from the bench, she looked at the sky, starting to get a shade darker as the sun behind the clouds slipped away. Putting a hand on Verbena’s head, she said, “Do you think you can get everyone home before it gets dark? We’ve only been on the main roads so, as long as you follow the biggest roads you should make it just fine.”

Verbena’s nostrils flared. “Of course I can! Just watch me.” A domineering hand shot up as he waved the others along, turning back around. Coriander watched them go, Rue and Peppermint both stealing worried glances her way. Once they were just out of sight, Coriander turned her eyes upward, scanning the horizon until she saw a tower piercing the sky, partly crumbled away. Her hasty steps pattered throughout the city of silence.

---

Face dried with tears turned skyward, Cassia watched the clouds closer than he’d ever been to that sky. He imagined being sucked into that sky, never to return. Where would he go? What would he see? The young boy could never know, but as his face cringed in pain, glancing down to his skinned knee, he knew he didn’t want to be here.

Gray walls crumbling slowly around him, wooden floor mucked with refuse, the top of the tower had long since fallen away. Cassia rubbed his arms as the temperature dropped in the approaching spring night, the short sleeves of his black shirt largely suitable for day, not the night. His breath started to come on harder, a low whine coming out. Then, there was the sound of footsteps on stone. Cassia silenced himself, looking about for anything to hide behind, but it was too late. From the doorway came Coriander, a slight expression of recognition passing by her face once she saw him. Cassia huddled up, shirking away, but Coriander didn’t pause. Entering the room, she went to the wall, sitting down next to Cassia and leaning against it. “S-sorry,” Cassia muttered.

“Was it scary?” Coriander wondered.

Cassia swallowed. “At first…”

A light smile came to Coriander’s face. “But then it stopped, right? When you realized that even the ghosts were long gone. That the rats and crows weren’t going to hurt you. But it’s different from being out in the woods, where there are animals everywhere you look. Here, it’s like you’re the only one in the world. It has all the things we use as people, but none of the people, except you. Right?” Cassia stared, his mouth hanging open for a moment before tears started to form at the edges of his eyes. Raising her hand, Coriander ran it through Cassia’s red hair. “It’s not like you want to be alone, it’s just you feel like...you are alone, no matter how many people are around, sometimes. And when it’s like that, if it’s true, it doesn’t feel as bad.”

Cassia continued to beat back his tears, but he did give a slow nod. “Ready to go home?”

Cassia brought a hand to his skinned knee, where some bruising was forming. Looking to a fallen chair, the leg snapped, he said, “I was trying to look out of the window and…”

Without hesitation, Coriander started to stand, helping Cassia to his good leg. Hoisting him up with a grunt, she was able to help him to the windowsill. Once he was sitting, one leg hanging out into the room, the two looked over the large city, the framework of roads and buildings, even lighting of the overcast day rendering the shadows soft. In the fallout of a destruction long since passed, there was only peace and quiet. Coriander met Cassia’s eyes and grinned. “It’s not scary when you look at it all from up here, huh?” Coriander mused. Leaning over a bit, she added, “It’s like the whole world is sleeping. Maybe we should call it ‘Lullaby City’ instead?”

Cassia glanced over. “How do come up with embarrassing things to say like that?”

Coriander gawked. Cassia hadn’t strung that many words together that quickly in at least a week. “Why do you guys gotta bully me all the time!?” she moaned. Once the air left her body from her long groan, her blue eyes met Cassia’s red, and the two cracked smiles, joining together in a fit of giggles.

---

Hands held onto Cassia’s thighs, the boy holding on to her back, Coriander frowned as she saw the lantern-light ahead of her on the dirt road back to Melody. “Oh boy, here we go...”

Sure enough, once she was in earshot, she was met with the greatest wielder of the weapon she’d brandished earlier today. “CATHERINE CORIANDER YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS!” Cori could feel Cassia’s grip tighten on her back as he flinched away from Marjoram’s howl, but Cori stood her ground. The parents moved in, Dill relieving Coriander of Cassia’s weight. In the transfer process, Cassia’s knee brushed against his dad’s arm, the boy letting out a gasp of pain. “You’re hurt? What happened!?” Dill blurted, his words carrying an accusatory tone.

Coriander growled, “This is why I didn’t want to tell you guys anything! You guys suck at this!” Marjoram’s stunned glare was visible even in the low light, her eyes boring holes through Coriander.

“Well, she inherited her mother’s mouth,” said a lanky man in a white button up shirt and slacks [C-Semy; Archaeologist, Sorrel’s father]. Dodging a jab from Marjoram, he realigned his indigo bangs saying, “I’ve made it quite clear that it’s not safe to wander around Tacet. The city deteriorates more every day. We don’t want to do more damage to it.”

“Oh, you didn’t hear about what Cori said it was okay to do to the big gate into the city,” Marjoram hissed. “Peppermint said you were taking full responsibility, so out with it!”

Coriander stamped her foot. “I know you guys are mad but this is why the kids don’t want to tell anyone when something’s wrong!” Cori burst out. “They wouldn’t even tell me that Cassia was missing until I twisted it out of them. If they’re always afraid of being in trouble they’re just going to hide what they do instead of owning up to their mistakes and learning from them!”

The parents were struck silent from Coriander’s words. A portly man with a stiff mustache rubbed his balding head, “I must admit, Verbena and Rue have only grown more anti-authority lately…” [Borage; Butcher, Verbena’s dad]

“They’re not going to feel like they’ve made a mistake unless we say something!” Marjoram insisted.

“Not if you don’t know they’re doing wrong. I’ve been wandering around Tacet since I was little. I knew what I was doing!”

“Then explain the busted gate,” Marjoram countered.

“I’m going to go get my kid to Mrs. Poppy, actually,” Dill interrupted, excusing himself and Cassia.

Buckling under the chaos of words flying every which way, Coriander cried, “I didn’t want the kids to find out about me knowing about Tacet, and I didn’t want them to find out about the tunnels, so I wanted Peppermint to open the hole in the gate a bit more. I didn’t think the whole thing would come down.”

“Th-the whole thing? Wait, tunnels? Do tell,” C-Semy asked, leaning in.

“You almost got crushed! Peppermint got a nasty bruise from hitting the ground after that, and if that girl gets hurt, that means it was real danger. You all could have been killed from the sounds of it!”

Corinader’s fists clenched, but even if she was only being indignant, it was out of rejection that she was wrong, her anger only bubbling because she knew her mother was right, even as she refused to admit it, even to herself.“I never got hurt when I went there before and I went there a bunch of times! Cassia only got hurt because a chair broke, that could have happened even back in Melody.”

“Huh? Those sound like weak excuses to me. What about Rue, huh?”

“I was watching her! I said I was taking responsibility!” A smack rang out, Marjoram’s hand moving before her mouth. Coriander didn’t cry out, as much as it hurt both inside and out, instead reaffirming her gaze.

“Do you think you could have shouldered that burden if one of them had died?” Coriander winced at Marjoram’s words, eyes glancing away.

Coriander bit her lip, eyes blinking rapidly as she fought back any tears. “I-it doesn’t matter if I can or can’t. I said I would, so I will.”

Marjoram’s hands massaged the side of her temples. “That’s not your responsibility to take! You should have just let us handle this from the start!”

“No,” Coriander refuted. “I shouldn’t have brought the kids into it, but I don’t think anything else I did was wrong!”

“That’s easy for you to say now! I can’t believe you don’t even think you’re in the wrong here! Did I raise you wrong? Was-”

“YOU’RE IN THE WRONG!” Coriander screeched, her throat tearing in her raised voice.

Marjoram stared, struck by a side of her daughter she’d never seen before. C-Semy and Borage were dead silent, knowing full well not to get on Marjoram’s bad side. Back straightening, Marjoram held her ground, following up those stretched seconds of silence with a simple question. “And how am I in the wrong?”

Coriander stared, catching her breath, before she huffed, “It doesn’t matter.”

Marjoram’s anger flared again. “How am I supposed to understand if you won’t tell me then?”

“Even if I tell you it’s not like you’ll listen anyway!” Foot stomping on the dirt, Coriander’s face became tight. “When have you ever listened to me!? I know I’m still just a kid! I’ll always be way younger than everyone else on the island except the other kids! But to them I’m no different than an adult! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! I don’t know what I’m supposed to be!” Her voice cracked under her words, which grew wet as tears flowed. Even as she stood here in the middle of the island, in some ways, her heart was back in Tacet City, where she’d never had anyone to reach out to her like she’d done for Cassia. Where she’d suffered alone in silence for so long, lost in soul more than body. “I can’t help you understand if you don’t ask!”

A rare distraught expression flashed over Marjoram’s face as her daughter wept. Coriander sobbed openly, hands still clutched into fists at her side. Marjoram had never been good at asking, always telling. Everyone else had always been soft on Coriander, so Marjoram felt like it had been her duty to be firm. Tough, but fair. And yet now, as she watched her daughter pushed to her wits end, she wasn’t sure who it was being unfair.

Raising a hand, Borage left a lantern on the ground. “I think we’ll leave you two be.” The two men took their leave, the two ladies alone in the dark of night, moonlight illuminating a patch of thin cloud.

It took some time before Marjoram finally found the words. “Why...would you go to Tacet City alone?”

Coriander’s sobs started to slow. Raising her sleeves, she wiped at her face, shoulders still shaking with every strained breath. “B-because there was no one there,” she sniffled.

Marjoram shook her head lightly, mystified. “Did you like being alone?” Coriander shook her head. Marjoram only felt further from the truth. “So why did you have to be alone?”

Coriander shook her head, “I didn’t kn-know what else to do when no one else could be b-bothered.”

Marjoram’s mouth opened, but she couldn’t say what she wanted. She’d always said she’d be there for her if she needed it, but as her own hand stung, she couldn’t exactly repeat that in good faith. Coriander had always been such a bright and cheery girl that this girl...no, this young woman in front of her was almost unrecognizable. The shadow from the lantern stretched back far into the night, as though it might return to Tacet City, Marjoram wondering how many tears of Coriander’s had dried there. Clearly it was at once too many, and not enough. Marjoram had questioned the burden Coriander took onto herself, but she hadn’t considered the burden she bore alone, with not one peer or friend to share it with.

“I’m sorry,” Marjoram replied. “I said something I shouldn’t have. I didn’t raise you wrong at all. I raised a wonderful young lady, who stood her ground for what she believed in even against me.” Coriander blinked, processing her mother’s words. “I think I understand now. I can’t really blame you that much when it was my fault in the first place for not noticing. And if you really think you’re ready for the responsibility you want, then I’ll let you have it. But just because you got lucky this time-” Marjoram began, stopping herself, much to Coriander’s surprise. Letting out a sigh, she said, “At least try to think a little more next time.”

Sniffling away the last of her tears, Coriander nodded in compliance. “Are you hungry?”

“Y-yeah,” Coriander mumbled. Taking her arm around her daughter’s shoulder, her other lifting the lantern, the two started back towards Melody, just as moonlight started to shine from above, the clouds clearing up, if only just a little.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Happy Saturday everyone!

It's been getting annoyingly warm in my corner of the world, but the game seems to have cooled down a bit, perhaps! @LostDestiny, @Daxam, @Yankee, and @Hillan are all past their date, so don't forget to keep in touch OOC~ I also will probably overdue on Coriander since I'm not sure if I can get a post up today, but we'll see. Destiny still has Max to post for on the 30th as well. I have a Rico post in mind for the 2nd. @pkken has given us our first post for Valery and hopefully we'll see the next one around the 4th. @Restalaan is set for his next Haku post on the 5th.

No OOC topic this week, because I can't think of anything I like, but I will prepare for the one coming up with the newspaper post that hopefully isn't too far off.